


Reinforcements Arrive

by crybabyprincess



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fourth Shinobi War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 03:23:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17800160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crybabyprincess/pseuds/crybabyprincess
Summary: He hadn't had a chance to speak to her since that day. No, that wasn't exactly true. He had been too afraid, too distracted.The words wouldn't come, but night after night he'd wake up in a pool of sweat. Now he may be too late.Fourth Shinobi World War: Naruto arrives on the battlefield! Redux





	Reinforcements Arrive

[The Fourth Great Ninja War. A decisive battle declared by the masked leader of the Akatsuki for the capture of the Eight and Nine Tails Jinchuuriki, against the Allied Shinobi Forces of the Five Great Elemental Nations]

War had already begun. Ninja from the Lands of Fire, Earth, Water, Wind and Lightning united in battle regiment for the first time under the command of Kazekage Gaara. Days, weeks, Naruto wasn't sure how long preparations and warfare had extended during his island stay in the Land of Lightning, without his knowledge. His precious friends from Konoha were now scattered across the continent, reduced to mere cogs in a blended troop. Fighting among thousands of foreigner comrades in arms, still in conflict with an endless, anonymous army of White Zetsu.

Naruto had tamed the beast imprisoned inside of him. Drawing upon the chakra of the Nine Tails, Naruto's abilities in speed and stamina increased exponentially. Achieving this new mode had come at the cost of great personal sacrifice and reflection, but most of all time. He was determined to make up for what was lost, to quickly come to the aid of the friends who were fighting for his sake.

Inside the tent was bustling with masses when he arrived. Clamoring, shouting between strangers working together towards the same goal. Each abandoning the mark of their homelands in favor of their new hope, matching forehead protectors of the Allied Shinobi Forces.

\---

"You're late." Shikamaru, Fourth Division Deputy Commander, serving as the Regimental Commander's right hand. Rumors of a new threat - strong, mysterious, zombie-like reincarnation clusters mobilizing in new sectors had prompted his relocation from the battlefield to head this newly formed secondary command center, working under direct supervision of his own father, Chief Strategist at HQ. Sensory and Intelligence Divisions were still relaying the Intel being analyzed here, and Naruto's unique powers would be soon become vital to their retaliation attack plan.

There was buzz around him as Naruto listened to Shikamaru outline the events that had unfolded so far. The explanation was highly technical, despite how simply Shikamaru phrased it. While he spoke, Naruto's studied a detailed battlefield map in the War Room. Tactical strategy formations, elegant and neat. At first glance, it was easy to disassociate the list of squad numbers and sporadic surnames from groups of actual people. His comrades, who's lives were on the line. Some, who's futures would be snubbed out before Naruto ever had a chance to meet them, to thank them. His fingers traced along, abruptly stopping at carefully marked area in the heart of the battle zone.

"Oi, Shikamaru. I thought you said the 'sensory nin' were positioned in HQ and special, covert locations ...so they stay in communication with the Intelligence Team?"

"Mm." Shikamaru's eyes and fingers didn't leave the page he focused on midway through a stack on the clipboard he carried.

"Then why does this one say, 'Hyuuga'?"

Shikamaru cleared his throat. It was true that some higher ranking sensory ninja, as well as elite and head clan members were being utilized for relay reconnaissance from relatively safer locations. However, the flag in question had been revised and rewritten by his own hand.

He didn't divert his eyes, but they stilled on the paper below him for a moment, a sensation akin to closely being caught in a lie. "There are a lot of 'sensory nin' types. Some that specialize in close combat have been issued strategic tactical missions." He knew where this line of questioning was headed.

"You mean Neji, right." Naruto wasn't asking a question. The deep gravel texture to his voice was low and demanding. His finger unmoved on the map, Shikamaru noticed, was now slightly trembling.

Tch. This was so bothersome. Shikamaru didn't have the time and he was certain he'd never have the energy for this conversation. Naruto accepted his non response as an answer.

"Goddamnit, Shikamaru! You put her on the front lines in a war zone!" Naruto was barking. Seething with sudden fury.

"She's a strong shinobi and we're at war! We don't have the luxury of deciding where our friends are!" Shikamaru's voice met Naruto's with equal volume. He balked, slamming his clipboard down. He was already fed up with him. He had known Naruto since the time they were both kids, and although he instinctively knew what was coming next, the most he could bring himself to do was to halfheartedly raise one arm towards Naruto in preemptive response.

As expected, Naruto's shadow clone was already making it's escape from the tent, knocking over an unsuspecting medical nin on it's way out. Two jounin Naruto didn't recognize, each one tripling Naruto's body in height and weight, approached him from behind on either side. The first, placed his burly hand on Naruto's right shoulder while simultaneously sweeping Naruto's ankles out from under him with his own boot. The other catching Naruto's falling backside in a four legged, wooden chair.

Seated between his new bodyguards, Naruto gritted his teeth at Shikamaru in secret triumph and indignation. His fists finding his pockets, Shikamaru casually turned on his heel, sauntering towards a table of frantic Chuunin errand boys practically working on top of each other. The young ones wore a constant state of fear and dread on their faces, despite their relief to be working as staff rather than soldiers. A few of them immediately acknowledged Shikamaru's approach, and with the mere wave of his hand, he managed to summon one of them to produce a dated-looking military radio, slamming it down on the table in front of him. Shikamaru languidly leaned against the table, resting his elbows while picking up the round receiver in his left palm. His free hand fiddled with the frequency adjuster on the box. His left thumb finally producing a lazy clicking sound.

*Click* "Oi, Kiba. How you holding up?" His voice was full of satirical pleasantry. As if he were making a friendly weekend call.

*Static* "Arghn. How do you think!? We're up to our eyeballs out here!"

*Click* "Well, I'm not sure it will come as a help or a hindrance, but you'll never guess who just got back from his vacation and is headed your way..."

*Static* "If he's coming to rescue our cavalry leader, I'll kill him myself."

*Click* "Do your best." Shikamaru audibly smirked and ended the transmission.

\---

Hinata crouched behind the cover of trees and rocks surrounding an open field area, camouflaged by their shade. Her index and middle fingers signaling to her flank wave teams with bold movements. A calm and concealed release of chakra steadily enabled her Byakugan, instructing her team in strategic placement surrounding a Zetsu hornet's nest. Baiting and herding them was easy, and they'd be swiftly manipulated in to a combination pincer and charge maneuver from higher ground, utilizing the uneven landscape. The teams advancing towards the center would suppress the enemy after moving them to a more favorable position.

At the start of the war, the Intelligence Division originally detected an infestation of 100,000 White Zetsu traveling underground. Hinata's Second, Short-Range Battle Division was ordered to intercept them. The Zetsu armies were large in quantity, generally durable in nature, but weak, easy enough to kill. The enemy strategy to this point had been a war of attrition, attempting to exhaust the Allied Forces. Hinata was a good soldier. Smart, organized, guarded even when on the offensive. She took direction quietly and precisely. Utilizing her all-seeing eye, the Byakugan as the advantage, alongside reinforcements from the Fifth, Special Battle Division, Hinata had led a small operative team on 3 critical successful maneuver warfare missions, destroying Zetsu hives en masse. Enough to allow a secondary deployment from her Second Division to aid the First Division by attacking their enemies from behind. Hinata had been passed over to lead her Hyuuga clan in the war, in favor of her cousin Neji. However, Neji suffered considerable injury of overuse to his own Byakugan, and her growing resume of tactical reconnaissance in force victories initiated a transfer from her support role in the Second Division. She was now promoted to Lt. Commander of the Fifth, Special Battle Division.

Naruto's heart was in his throat as he entered the Land of Lightning's peninsula. Even as a clone, his body reacted to the rush of adrenaline and the surge of apprehension. Naruto trusted that Hinata was strong, something he had counted on in all the years he'd known her. But his desire, his instinct to protect her suddenly overrode his rationality. He needed to know she was safe. His heart weighted with dread, the memory of the scent of her blood mixed with dirt filled his nostrils.

As Naruto's clone approached her location, he could hardly withstand the scene of carnage in front of him. White bodies strewn in every direction, with an unsettling artificial nature about them. Naruto swallowed the taste of bile.

A massive swarm was being lured, headed for the top of the hill in the distance. In the throngs of bodies near the peak, he picked out the only color in a sea of white. Indigo Sky. Before deploying from Konoha, she had pragmatically sheared her long, elegant locks of hair that wouldn't be of much service in battle. They were now neatly cropped in a bob stopping just below her ears, reminding Naruto of a Hinata he had admired during the Chuunin Exams years ago. Her signature blunt bangs had matted with sweat and dried many times over, but remained to frame her soft facial features now plucked in distress. She donned the standard issue, olive colored military vest, but it was worn in places, clearly dirtied by battle. Most importantly, she appeared uninjured. In his focus on her, he was too late to notice his body snatched up by the collar at the back of his neck, thrown up against a tree.

"It's you after all." Kiba sniffed. "Your smell is different. The hell are you doing here!?" He dismounted his horse-sized canine, Akamaru, before stepping in to clutch at Naruto's disoriented figure.

Before Naruto could argue, the two of them darted their faces back up towards the hill. Hinata had caught wind of the commotion, and determined and distractedly began running downhill in their direction against the upstream of Zetsu, as if she had momentarily forgotten them.

Panic overwhelmed both Naruto and Kiba at the sight. A single enemy breaking from the status quo, launching himself from above towards her with unmistakable blood lust. Kiba, always taking pride in his speed and agility was stunned as his movements suddenly felt buffered. Naruto had appeared to vanish next to him only to reappear in a faint flash of light, suddenly, behind Hinata, eliminating the Zetsu with one swift movement and knocking Hinata forward, the ground catching her on her palms and knees.

To add to Kiba's surprise, the defeated figure began to disintegrate in a way he had not witnessed their bodies respond before despite personally defeating hundreds upon hundreds. A small tree grew in it's place. Naruto's body lit up like a firefly, a light so bright it projected almost no color at all, and looked as though it would burn to touch him.

"Sorry I'm late, Hinata!" Naruto was acting smug. Kiba's slack jaw and wide eyes only slightly relaxed but narrowed as he shifted his gaze back to Hinata. She hadn't moved her body at all, still focused on ground beneath her. Her fingers gripped the grass between them, nails digging into the earth.

"...doing here.." she mumbled.

"Eh?" Naruto balked.

"You can't be here!" Her voice raised. Shouted. Angry, accusing. A side of Hinata Kiba had only seen the edges of a mere handful of times in the number of years he spent intimately working with her. A side of Hinata Naruto had never seen before at all.

The air between the three was heavy and thick but there was no time to argue. Six more Zetsu had encircled them. The ninja shifted back into fighting mode, destroying them with ease. They retreated back to the cover of the boulders and trees just further from the clearing, crouching together. Panting, but task focused, Hinata explained the Zetsu mechanism for chakra mimicking, and creating clone-like imitations. One wrong move by Naruto would only create a mess of chaos and confusion for the Allied Forces. Naruto listened to her speak silently, watchful. The tact and determination in her voice. Clarity and strength. She'd grown during this war. Though she was never very confident in herself, she had gained confidence in her work. It was different, it took his breath away.

Commotion and the sound of metal kunai in the distance. Voiced groans of pain and agony finally called their attention to the scene. The team of ninja atop the hill had begun losing its advantage since Hinata broke formation, and a group of a dozen or so Zetsu enemies was now headed towards them. Hinata rose to her feet. Hunched below her, Naruto had a sudden flashback. He'd seen this episode before. Watching Hinata's back from below, as she faced off against a powerhouse enemy. Unable to move.

"Kiba. When I give the signal, I need you and Akamaru to get Naruto out of here."

Not again. Naruto couldn't sit by and watch her sacrifice herself for his protection again. He wanted to reach out to her. His stomach twisted. His heart wrenched. His body filled with words he needed to say to her, but they became jumbled fighting for escape, caught in his throat.

"Hinata!" Was all he managed.

"Kiba!" Hinata yelled without pause. Her voice now hoarse and cracked. Her chin slowly moving over her shoulder towards them, "...please."

Naruto's body became limp with dejection. Nothing but the sound of white noise and his own labored breathing reached his ears. He couldn't see her eyes, but a trickle of tears on her cheek was the last thing he saw before she turned her head back towards the enemy. With a flick of her wrist came the signal.

"You heard the boss." Naruto's boneless figure was dragged upon a galloping Akamaru's rear by Kiba. There was nothing for him to do but watch Hinata's figure shrink in the distance as she stampeded into a storm. A dome of kicked up dust and chakra shielded her from sight. A perfect rotational defensive Hyuuga maneuver.

\---

Back in the tent at HQ2, Naruto's real body was facing off against Shikamaru in a glaring match. Suddenly stiffening, his face drained of tension as recognition washed over him. His body slumped, his arms drooping to his sides, eyes falling into his own lap. The memories of his shadow clone now assimilating with his own.

Shikamaru's body responded in kind with relief. He huffed, shifting a shoulder towards his ear to work out a kink. His fingers thumbed the inside of his left breast pocket.

"Now do you understand?" He quietly relented. Shikamaru had a front row seat to the events that unfolded the day Pein leveled Konoha. He knew Hinata had thrown herself between Naruto and the enemy at the risk of her own life, and the reaction to her injury from Naruto that subsequently saved them all. Shikamaru hadn't been interested in giving the nature of the relationship between Naruto and Hinata afterwards even a single second thought, but. It was clear that Naruto was now experiencing some kind of emotional response to what he had just witnessed. Annoying.

He tap, tap, tapped the box in his right hand against the palm of his open left.

"This is a war to protect you," he continued. The sound of a metallic flick and flare almost as comforting to him as the act itself, Shikamaru dragged on his cigarette, balancing it between his teeth before catching it between his thumb and index finger.

"She understands that better than anyone." The plume of smoke he exhaled revealed a sheepish grin. "She's already a war hero, for Christ's sake."

For a moment, Shikamaru flitted his eyes back to Naruto, and away again as Naruto raised his head.

"Now, we need you to focus on what only you can do."

The ember behind Naruto's eyes returned as he narrowed his gaze, renewed with determination.

"Yeah."


End file.
